Ten Years Later, And Yet
by Mari's 6636
Summary: Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in Hipsterville working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to Dullsville, where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.
1. Things Haven't Changed That Much

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 1: Things Haven't Changed That Much

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and no, I haven't read VK5 yet... Hell, I barely remember events from VK4... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

_**-X-**_

"Oh, Mom," I whispered into the phone, tears stinging my eyes as I plopped down on the couch in my studio apartment, my cell phone clutched to my ear as I digested the information presented toward me: my mother miscarried the baby she and my father had conceived.

"Raven, honey, can you come home, as soon as possible?" My mother sniffled, further breaking my heart. "Billy has midterms coming up, so he can't travel, and your dad is just as distraught as me," she continued, her voice breaking every few words.

Much as I'd grown up wishing my parents had remained hippies, I'd always loved them, of course, and when I graduated, my mother and I had grown even closer. Even though she'd expected me to change entirely when Alexander left, ten years ago, she accepted it when I told her I wanted to move to Dullsville's neighboring town; I wouldn't be too far away, after all. So we'd bonded through bi-monthly visits, and she kept me up-to-date on the gossip I really didn't want to hear.

Especially gossip revolving around Trevor...

Shaking my thoughts out of my head, I nodded fiercely. "Of course, Mom, I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll pack right away and drive down there. I love you, and I should see you in a few hours," I told her, hanging up after I received her reply.

I frantically rushed around my apartment, scooping up enough clothes to fill two suitcases, not knowing how long I would be staying. Quickly, I called my boss at the Coffin Club, thanking the heavens that I'd loved the place enough to still have oodles of vacation time left.

After all that was settled, and my clothes were packed – my typical Gothic-garb and some 'normal' clothes that I could wear if I took my mom out to distract her. I tossed four pairs of shoes into an old backpack – a pair of black combat boots, a pair of gray three-inch Mary Jane heels, and two pairs of casual-type flats – and zipped that up, before grabbing up my purse, my keys, and all three of those bags.

At that point, I darted out the door, locked it hurriedly, and zoomed downstairs to my black Nissan 350Z, chirping it unlocked and tossing my stuff into it's trunk before plopping myself inside it's crimson interior and thrusting the key into it's ignition.

_**-X-**_

As my car purred along the quiet streets of Dullsville, I pulled to a stop in front of my parent's house, set it in park, then scrambled not-so-gracefully across the perfectly-manicured lawn to throw open the front door, completely ignoring the two cars sitting in the driveway in front of the closed garage doors. What I saw made my jaw drop.

"Raven, honey!" my mom exclaimed, upon seeing me. Her face was tear-stained, and she was seated next to my dad, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Across from her sat Mr., Mrs., and none other than Trevor Mitchell.

He looked a little surprised, and I returned the expression. **What the hell...? I wouldn't have expected them to be here...** I thought, biting on my black-lipsticked lower lip as I made my way down the front hall, toward my parents. I leaned over to hug them both, and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Mom, Dad."

They both hugged me back, a fresh wave of tears streaming down my mother's cheeks. "I'll be okay, with time, dear," she murmured bravely. I swallowed with some difficulty, tears stinging my eyes momentarily; I wasn't sure that I would be able to be so composed, were I in her shoes.

"It was very nice of you three to come here," my dad said, clearing his throat after kissing my mother's temple and making his way to his feet. "I'm sorry if we interrupted anything important."

"Nonsense," Mrs. Mitchell said, throwing me off-guard. I hadn't seen the woman since before graduation, and she had seemed like she would **always** be a bitch, back then. Briefly, I wondered if she and Mr. Mitchell had retired. They certainly could have afforded it at this point in time. "I know you would do the same for us," she finished, as she and her husband stood.

I glanced at Trevor, only to find that he wasn't looking at me, or my parents, or even his parents. He was scowling down at the carpet, his eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenched. I worried my lip once more with my teeth, momentarily trying to figure out **why** exactly I had disappeared without even so much as a word to him. Even going to far as to swear Becky to complete secrecy seemed cruel.

Speak of the devil, and the devil shall arrive, as they say. The doorbell rang in our ears, and we all jumped. I rushed to the door, thrusting it open to be greeted by none other than my best friend and her fiancé. It still baffled me how good she seemed with Matt...

Her eyes were filled with tears, and she jumped into my arms, bursting into tears. "Oh, my god, Raven, It's so terrible! I'm so sorry for the loss your family has suffered!" I awkwardly patted her back, and stared up at Matt in shock. 'Is she pregnant?' I mouthed jokingly to Trevor's best friend, not expecting her to be **quite** so emotional; I was going for comic relief.

To my surprise, Matt nodded, and I immediately pushed Becky away – carefully, of course – and stared at her. "Oh, my God, Becky!" She turned her wide, red-rimmed eyes up to meet mine, and appeared confused. **No wonder she's so torn up over this...** I thought with a sigh as Mat shook his head frantically behind her.

"Not here, Raven. Not now," came the deep voice belonging to Trevor Mitchell. I felt a shiver roll down my spine, and shuddered. So he knew...

Without looking at him, I released Becky and allowed her passage to go barrage my parents with her condolences. Of course. I was so insensitive. The last thing they would want to hear would be that my best friend was expecting.

I gave a short hug to Matt, and finally glanced up at Trevor. His parents passed by, and he hugged his mom before allowing them to head home. Then he turned to me. "Why didn't you keep in contact?" he asked, his eyes cold as he folded his arms across his chest.

"This isn't the place for that, Trevor," I replied softly, as I led him and Matt back to my parents, taking a seat on the couch across from them. Trevor sat beside me, and Matt stood beside Becky, who was seated next to my mother, both of them crying quietly as Becky gave her strong words about always being able to try again, and that things would be okay.

Clearing his throat, Trevor looked to my parents. "Raven hasn't been here in a while, and she just drove for who knows how long. Would it be alright if I took her out to dinner?" His voice **seemed** nice enough, but if anyone knew him as well as Matt, Becky and I did, they'd know that he wasn't trying to be a nice guy; he was **pissed** that I'd disappeared.

I looked to my mother, hoping the pleading look I gave her would be enough to warn her that I actually feared for my life here. But of course, my mother was still thinking about my well-being, even though she was sitting on the sofa, her face tear-stained, just after having miscarried her third child.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Raven. Of course you can go to eat with Trevor. Don't worry about me, Becky's here, now, and we can talk later. You've been driving all night, and you need to eat, then come home to rest. Go," she said, giving me a watery smile as she shooed us away.

I gulped as Trevor took my elbow, gave a farewell nod to Becky and Matt, then led me down the front hallway, out the door, and to his Mitsubishi Mirage, which just so happened to be the same emerald color as his eyes.

**Oh, for heaven's sake, Raven Madison! You're about to die, and you're _still_ noticing how gorgeous his eyes are?!** I thought to myself as he not-so-gently pushed me into the passenger seat. I groaned as I buckled up, covering my eyes with my hands.

**Things Haven't Changed That Much||End**


	2. Or Maybe They Have

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 2: Or Maybe They Have...

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and no, I haven't read VK5 yet... Hell, I barely remember events from VK4... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

"Why won't you say anything?" I demanded haughtily of Trevor Mitchell as he drove at too-fast speeds through the oddly-deserted streets of Dullsville. Okay, so maybe it wasn't **that** odd... It was a work day, after all, and we all know the work ethic of the residents is extremely... Beyond what I'm capable of.

My parents were off work for obvious reasons... And Trevor's parents pretty much had it easy. "Why aren't you working?" I finally asked my ex-nemesis, turning to stare at his profile in awe. "Did you really need to take off work in order to see my mother through her tragedy?" I added snidely, feeling suddenly defensive.

Trevor stomped on the brakes, ripping the emergency brake up when we were fully stopped. I felt like my eyeballs should have popped out of their sockets with how violently we'd stopped.

"For Chrissakes, Raven! You've been gone ten **fucking** years!" he exploded, making me cringe back into my seat. I averted my gaze shortly, but Trevor was having none of that. "No! Look at me!" he demanded angrily, reaching over to seize my face and violently wrench it around to face him.

"Get your damn hands --" my outburst was cut off by Trevor's lips on my own, and I inhaled suddenly, yanking my head out of his grip as anger welled up in my chest. "You had no right to do that," I hissed darkly, feeling ever so much like the Monster Girl nickname I thought I'd been able to escape.

Yes, it's true. While I didn't much like the typical Dullsvillians, I'd grown up enough to be able to tolerate them, though only a bit more. I hadn't had a reaction this bad since... Well, high school.

"The hell I didn't, Madison!" Trevor growled, lowering the e-brake and speeding off, toward the country club, where he squealed up to the valet parking lane and threw the Mirage into Park. Immediately regaining his composure, Trevor jumped out of the car and handed the valet his keys – and I assume a hefty tip as well – before circling around his car to open my door. Huffing, I hopped out of the car and stormed past him.

I heard an aggravated sigh behind me and smirked to myself, loving how I could still make him angry all too easily. **But why do you enjoy it so much, Raven?** I thought to myself, scowling down at the ground. I looked up in time to collide with the doors leading inside, and reeled backward in a vain attempt to regain my balance.

Let's just say it didn't work.

"...Very graceful, Monster Girl," Trevor whispered, having squatted down beside me with a satisfied smirk on his gorgeous face. "Would you like some help up?" he asked, his grin growing by the millisecond.

"No, thank you. I'd rather get up alone, if the only other option is the likes of you." **Ouch**. "Thanks anyway," I added, using a tinge of sarcasm so he wouldn't think I was actually thanking him. As if...

"Suit yourself," Trevor muttered, rising to his full height as I scrambled up from my embarrassing position of lying flat on my back. Dusting off the back of my dark blue jeans, and shrugging out of my black leather jacket to brush it off as well. I was wearing a white, lace-edged, spaghetti-strap shirt beneath it, and was grateful I had been wearing the jacket, or else the shirt would probably be ruined...

I glanced up to find Trevor staring at me, his green eyes darkened beneath furrowed eyebrows. "Why are you dressed... Well, normal?" he asked softly, eyes dancing up from my chest to meet my gaze. I felt my face heat up, but shrugged, draping my jacket over my left forearm as I moved to lean against the door I'd just run into.

"I can still be Gothic, even dressed like this," I muttered, somewhat embarrassed, and certainly out of my comfort zone. I attempted to joke, "Hey, my jacket and boots," I motioned down to my pointy-toed black leather boots – four inch heels – with my right arm, "are black. Goth enough for you, Soccer Snob?"

Trevor turned on his heel and entered the building without answering, though I saw his jaw move. **I wonder what he said,** I thought, biting my bottom lip again. Suddenly I was glad I always wore heavy-duty lipstick, that would pretty much stay on no matter what. Well, at least, it seemed to be holding up for me so far.

Following him inside, we waited for the hostess to return to her post. After fifteen minutes, Trevor angrily pounded his hand on the podium that served as the hostess's station, and shouted, "Damnit! I had a reservation for... NOW!" Quickly, a blond, busty girl who appeared our age, at least, rushed around the corner, tugging at her rumpled outfit, and attempting to hide a few hickeys on her neck, that both Trevor and I clearly saw.

"Oh, please don't tell my supervisor!" the girl pleaded, wiping her lips carefully, only succeeding in further smudging her already-smudged ruby lipstick. I glanced at her nametag and did a double take.

"Jennifer Warren?!" I exploded, laughing so hard I lost my balance and had to lean on the wall near her podium. "Oh, my Goth, you're stuck **here**?!" Trevor rolled his eyes and pressed his tan hand over my mouth, smiling wryly at Jennifer, who'd been staring at me with her eyes slitted dangerously.

"Trevor, you finally showed," she whispered, and Trevor tensed. Jennifer immediately shut up, grabbing two menus from the shelf behind the podium, motioning for us to follow her. She weaved in and out through the tables expertly, leading us to the darkest portion of the restaurant, that was only lit by strands of lights.

I stared at the area in awe. It was somewhat secluded from the rest of the tables, and the table was draped with a black tablecloth, versus the white ones draped over the rest. I stared up at Trevor, a question in my eyes: Why had he reserved a table that clearly didn't belong here?

Trevor turned to look down at me with a sigh. "I've had this reserved for ten years... Don't ask how I afford it, you'd probably just hate me," he said, bitterness creeping into his voice as Jennifer set the menus down in front of the chairs, one of which Trevor was pulling out for me to sit in. I slowly settled into the comfortable chair, reaching out to finger the petals of the single black rose that was in a crystal vase in the center of the table.

**Had Trevor Mitchell... The Soccer Snob, of all people... Waited for me? Oh, my Goth.**

**Or Maybe They Have...||End  
**


	3. Okay, Not So Much After All

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 3: Okay, Not So Much After All

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, and I just read VK5... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

"Trevor," I started softly, my eyelids falling closed as I shook my head, my fingers still gently stroking the black petals on the rose. "Why?" I asked simply, opening my eyes as I clenched my jaw to fight snarky remarks and mean things. It came naturally, with him... But it wouldn't be very appropriate, at all, here.

"I haven't seen you since that graduation party, and you and I kissed, Raven," he said, looking at me as though I were the most idiotic person he knew. "You're my Monster Girl!" His voice went from disbelieving to angry in zero-point-five seconds, leaving me feeling guilty as all hell.

"Trevor, a lot happened that night," I whispered, feeling my chest ache from the expression on his face. "Alexander left for good. And I wasn't being myself," I lied quietly, my hand falling tot he table with a soft thud as I tore my gaze away from his, refusing to meet his green eyes.

Trevor, of course, wasn't having any of that. He gripped my face gently, leaning over the table to hold his face mere centimeters away from mine. "Why did you run away?" he asked. Thankfully, a waitress interrupted us, approaching with widened eyes as she prepared to take our order. I slowly moved my face out of Trevor's reach.

_**X-x-x**_

We were driving back to my parents' house, the vase with the rose tucked safely in my lap as Trevor took his sweet time driving along the still-empty, but more crowded than before lunch, streets. "I guess the Dullsvillians are heading home from work, soon," I mumbled. From the corner of my eye, I saw Trevor steal a glance in my direction.

"That's what you've been calling us? And-- and... Oh, that's just horrible, Monster Girl," he said, laughing a bit as he slowed to a stop before a red light. I gawked at him, my eyebrows arched in a 'look at the pot calling the kettle black' type of way.

"Shut it, Soccer Snob," I muttered, growling inwardly at the fact that he'd gotten a bit of a rise out of me with just his naturally hypocritical ways. "You know just how bad that sounds, right? Complaining about my nickname and then calling me something even worse?"

Trevor scoffed, stomping on the accelerator when the light turned green. The tires squealed on the pavement as he peeled out, my head slamming back against the headrest. "Hey, you're the one who called yourself my monster," he muttered under his breath, driving too-fast down the streets before stopping in front of my parents' home. "Well, see you around," he said, not turning to face me as I scrambled to unbuckle my seatbelt, while setting the vase on the floor of his car before hopping out.

"Hey!" Trevor called after me angrily, leaning over toward the passenger side while he glared up at me.

"What?" I asked, my voice squeaking. I leaned back into the car, planting my hands firmly on the passenger seat as I waited for Trevor to continue. I should have known not to expose myself in that way, though.

Trevor let an impish grin appear on his mouth, and grabbed my head, stealing another kiss from me before releasing me shortly after. "Don't forget the rose," he whispered before leaning away.

As he drove away, leaving me standing on my parents' lawn, my purse dangling from my left wrist as I held the vase in both hands, glaring after Trevor's Mirage. Sighing, I turned on my heel and marched across the lawn until I got to the doorstep, where I inserted my key into the lock and twisted it, letting myself in.

_**x-x-x**_

My mother seemed fine the next morning, and both my parents went to work as planned, leaving me home alone, bored out of my mind.

I woke up late, thinking about the previous day. I tried to figure out why I'd run away. After parading around the empty house in an over-sized t-shirt and a pair of calf-high black socks, rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchen to see if Mom had Count Chocula cereal. I gave a slight pout when there wasn't any, and instead settled for cooking some scrambled eggs and toast.

Just as I was lifting a forkful of egg to my mouth, two things happened at once: I realized the reason that I'd run away, and the doorbell rang. I cursed softly, before shoving the egg into my mouth and then jumping up from my seat at the island in the kitchen to go answer the door.

As I rounded a corner into the front hallway, I attempted to slow down, only to end up sliding across the floor, smacking right into the front door. "Ouch!" I whined, flying backward and landing on my butt, hard, on the wooden floor. The front door opened – Mom would kill me if she knew I'd left it unlocked – and the one who'd rung the doorbell poked their head in.

"Well. Nice to see you, too, Raven," Trevor Mitchell said, and as I snapped my gaze up to look at his face, I knew three things:

First, Trevor was trying desperately to not laugh.

Second, his family and mine were closer than ever, if he was comfortable enough to just walk in my front door.

And third, he had a very good view of what was under my t-shirt, which – let me assure you – was something he had no business seeing. I was wearing only a pair of black silk boy-short style panties, with red lace on the edges.

I screamed and lashed out with my foot, wincing when I connected with something that **I** had no right connecting with – although, all those years ago, I'd gotten him to strip down for a specific purpose regarding that – and he dropped to his knees in pain.

**Why do these things happen to me?!** I thought, my face warm enough to where I was certain that it rivaled the color of a ripe tomato.

**Okay, Not So Much After All****||End**


	4. Why Exactly Do Things Turn Out This Way?

_**Okay, something new...**_ Thank you, to all who have reviewed, and to you who have added this story to the alert list. [Adopts Game Show Host Voice] **And the special readers are...!** Giz13, bookinspired, forevertrueblue, fangirl371, edward-perfers-brunettes95, and bitemebcbd13. **THANK YOU VERY MUCH!**

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 4: Why, Exactly, Do Things Turn Out This Way With Us?

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

"I'm not going to say sorry, you know," I said, huffing under my breath as I stood in the bathroom, the door cracked open slightly so Trevor and I could talk as I brushed my hair and got dressed. I know, it's scary. But I trusted Trevor just enough to where I knew he didn't want to be hit in **that place** more than once, let alone more than once in the same morning.

I hurriedly put on my bra, and then shimmied into a long, black shirt which had the edges of the sleeves lines with a black and white plaid design, as well as the collar, which dipped down into a v-neck. Around my waist, I tied a long ribbon that had the same plaid design on it. I slipped a pair of white leg warmers up my calves, then slipped my feet into my mom's black peep-toe high heels that I had found in the darkest corner of her closet.

"I wasn't really expecting an apology," Trevor muttered as I left the bathroom, turning to face him where he sat, leaning back against the hallway wall. "I don't even know why I'm here, if I'm honest."

Not expecting that, I tilted my head to the side and peered down at the blond-haired man as he bent his knees and leaned forward to rest his forehead against them. I carefully knelt down and brought myself to sit beside him, averting my gaze so he wouldn't be uncomfortable, were he to look up.

"Trevor... How about I come clean for a minute, here? I'll never admit it to anyone else, mind you," I warned him quickly. "But," I continued with a sigh. "Alexander left me that night. You know that much. I was vulnerable. But I also wanted it to last. With Alexander and me. And then we kissed. That was nothing new between us, but at the same time, it was. I didn't expect to want to kiss you, to enjoy it more than just the physical part."

I curled up, hugging my knees to my chest as I wrapped my arms around my thighs, positioning my hands beneath myself so that my most intimate region was somewhat covered. Not that Trevor hadn't seen it earlier. Not that Trevor was looking, either.

"I did, though. I was growing attached to you, **emotionally**. You have no idea how scary that was. It was hell for me. To like someone who, for years, had been so contradicting toward me with his behavior! Going from insulting me to kissing me, getting drunk and letting me lead you on like that," I broke off with a soft laugh.

In my peripherals, I saw Trevor turn his head so that he was laying on his knees in what looked to be an uncomfortable way. He opened his mouth, and said, "That was mean, Raven. I never told you that before, but I was embarrassed. To have been put in that position by **you**, of all people, was humiliating. Not that anyone knew, other than Farm Girl, I hope. That isn't the case. It was horrible to know that you'd led me on like that!"

I snapped my gaze to meet his with furrowed eyebrows. "Trevor! Don't play that way with me. I knew you were only going to play with me, then turn around and brag about how you got the goth girl! I was somewhat enjoying that moment, thank you very much, until I was absolutely positive that you were only going to drop me after. I wasn't interested in you, don't misunderstand," I muttered, clenching my jaw and looking away from my ex-nemesis.

"But it was nice," I continued in a small voice. "Nice to be touched and held, kissed like I meant something. I wasn't ever exposed to that before that night. And after that, it was exposure to Alexander... Which was very different. He was too careful!" I growled, before realizing that I may have said far too much. I looked at Trevor warily, to gage his reaction.

Thankfully, he didn't realize I'd been referring to the Sterling family secret; the fact that Trevor had guessed correctly – even if he was only joking – had been terrifying for Alexander and I at the time. It was so hard to be away from Alexander back then, knowing that the secret was potentially ruined by someone who didn't even really know! The key was that no one believed him...

"If it was nice, and you knew that you felt for me," Trevor began quietly, moving to stand in the hallway, "why did you run away from it? You disappeared before I even had the chance to visit you the next day, for Chrissakes, Raven! Do you know how hard that was to accept?! Not even your parents knew why exactly, you just **had** to go to that town that day. It was so... Frustrating," he finished, glaring down at me.

I felt guilty; Trevor was right. It was wrong of me to have done that, especially after we'd kissed, and I'd claimed myself as his monster girl. But it was hard... I don't think he could quite understand. And he never would be able to...

I brought myself to my feet carefully, brushing imaginary dust off of my backside before turning to look at Trevor. "You don't know what it's like to be ready to be with someone, have them abandon you, and then suddenly you're feeling these crazy things for someone you thought you didn't like," I said slowly, fidgeting under his hard stare.

Trevor scoffed. "You're right. I've never been abandoned. But I've also never had anyone, besides Matt, who had known the real me. Everyone at that school saw me as the soccer star. The popular jock. They thought I was perfect. But you didn't like me, even a little bit! We would argue and bite back at each other like it was nothing, and I assume it **was** nothing to you, but to me... It was a chance to just be myself."

Trevor turned away from be and began to walk down the stairs. I followed him slowly, and he paused a few feet away from the bottom of the steps. I stopped on the last stair, looking down at Trevor's back. "And then, you were mine. For just one night, you were mine. I expected it to last. But I was wrong. You were gone the next morning. Not one argument, not even a word to me; you just disappeared. For ten years, Raven."

"Trevor--" I started, my voice quiet as I tried to understand the pain he seemed to be feeling.

"No." Turning to look at me, Trevor gave a small smile. "I would think that you, of all people, would understand this, Raven. Alexander left you after two years. But, imagine if you'd had him around since kindergarten. How much worse would the pain be?"

With that question hovering in the air, Trevor walked away, silently leaving my parents' house as he left me to the realization that he really **did** have that situation worse than I did. "I'm such an idiot," I muttered, taking the final step down as I made my way to the phone and dialed Becky's number.

Some quality time with my best friend was in order. Plus we had catching up to do. "Now, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant, Becky?" I asked in a slightly menacing voice when she answered the phone.

But my head wasn't all there... Part of it was with Trevor, and the fact that he'd really been hurt by my decision to up and leave...

**Why, Exactly, Do Things Turn Out This Way With Us?****||End**

Hi! Okay, this is the first true Author's Note! ...Sorry about the short length of the first four chapters. I've no clue how long that little bad habit will last, but this is where I see each chapter ending, so it can't be too bad... Right? I'm thinking of ways to turn this little story of ours topsy-turvy, and I welcome suggestions, although I have a few things in mind of my own. I'll make a poll when I get a couple suggestions, and add my own as well!

Here are the images of the outfit I used in the beginning of this chapter. Just remove the spaces...

The dress\top thingy:http:// www. amiclubwear. com/ clothing- top- c5- 35002black. html

The leg warmers:http:// www. amiclubwear. com/ clothing- hosiery- ami0142white. html

The shoes: http:// www. amiclubwear. com/ shoes- heels- lina- 01black. html

Thank you! See you next time.

Mari


	5. Does he read those books, too?

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 5: Does he read those books, too?

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

I sat with Becky in hers and Matt's living room, looking around silently. I'd just told Becky everything – not the background of Alexander, Luna, and Jagger, though – and she was mulling it over. So, while she thought, I looked.

And I have to say, Matty is really treating Becky well. Not that I really expected anything less of him, of course, but still. I definitely approve of this. Where is Matt now, you might wonder? Well, Becky told me that Matt got a call from Trevor, so they are probably sitting around – or playing a sport, rather – while doing the same thing as Becky and I.

"Raven, just tell him you still have feelings for him," Becky finally said hesitantly, her expression worried, as though I might fly off the handle. Which, when you think about it, I probably would have, the last time I'd talked to Becky about Trevor – which was back in high school.

I sighed. "But, Bex... You didn't see how hurt he was. I... He... Really cared about me," I mumbled under my breath, refusing to acknowledge that Trevor hadn't just **cared** about me, he'd **loved** me. Which kind of made sense. Kind of. Just maybe.

"Raven!" Becky cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. This startled me; Becky had never raised her voice at me before. I quieted down. "He won't care! Just tell him! Goodness gracious, you all are so... Urgh, be right back!"

I fought back the laughs that threatened me; obviously Becky was overtaken by morning sickness. When I heard her retching, however, it not only removed the laughter from my mind and throat, it also sicked me a bit, too.

When she was done, I opened my mouth to tell her that I should probably hunt down Trevor, but was interrupted by the front door opening. "Becky, I'm home," Matt's voice floated toward us. "I brought Tre--" He stopped when he entered the room and saw me. Right behind him was Trevor, who bumped into Matt and they both stumbled for a few moments.

"I... Should go," I murmured, grabbing up my purse and stumbling to my feet. As I passed by Matt and Trevor, however, Trevor grabbed my arm gently and pulled it so that I was flung backward – right into Trevor's awaiting arms!

**I should have seen this coming,** I thought as my face heated up intensely. **I've read it before in so many books, and I know what's next, oh Go--** My mind went blank as Trevor kissed me roughly, his mouth working against mine in a more intense frenzy than our last kiss.

I dropped my purse, which gave such a loud slap against the floor, that both Trevor and I – as well as Matt and Becky – jumped, forcing us to end our kiss.

...And God, was that a kiss... Where did he learn that?!

_**Does he read those books, too?****End**_

So sorry for the wait, and the horrible length. But it was a nice ending in my opinion... Thanks for reading, I'll update ASAP!

Mari


	6. And the scares continue

Grown up and leading her life the way she'd always seen it, Raven lives in 'Hipsterville" working in the Coffin Club. Suddenly a tragic event brings her back to "Dullsville," where she's confronted by the Soccer Snob she hadn't seen since their shared kiss.

Ten Years Later, And Yet...

Chapter 6: And the scares continue...

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters... This is just a continuation of Your Monster... Ellen Schreiber's characters!**

I touched my fingertips to my lips gently, feeling my eyebrows furrow in confusion as my mind worked through the feelings racing around my body. Oh, and the tingling, too. As I opened my mouth to speak, however, Becky let out a sharp gasp, her hands pressing against her barely swollen belly; her face screwed up in pain.

"Something's wrong!" she hissed out, eyes clenched in pain. Matt hurried to her side, as did I, after one glance toward Trevor. Matt supported her back with one arm while he slipped me the keys to his Hummer with the other. As soon as I had the keys, he carefully lifted her to her feet and we headed outside.

Trevor followed us quickly, bringing both my purse and Becky's as well. "I'll stay with the house," he told us, expression solemn. Matt nodded and I turned the key in the ignition. Becky was breathing deeply, her eyes brimming with tears as we headed to the hospital.

Shortly after arriving, Becky was admitted, and then it was a bit of a wait before we were told what the problem was.

The doctor said, "Don't worry. It was just a bit of cramping. Much as it is worrying, we have performed the necessary tests to conclude that, at this time, you are not in danger of miscarrying this child." We all exhaled a relieved breath, and Becky squeezed my hand.

"You should go, Ray. We'll be okay. I'm not going to be here much longer," Becky told me with a small smile. As I opened my mouth to reject her consideration, someone new walked in, and Becky's expression turned sheepish.

"Becky," I chided gently, shaking my head with a chuckle as I turned to roll my eyes at Trevor. "You could have told me you wanted to go home with Mattie alone. But you didn't need to call Trevor!" I was laughing, though, especially when Trevor scowled at me. I leaned over to hug Becky, and patted Matt's back before we left.

The drive was very quiet, but not awkward, even though we weren't heading to my parents' house. I could only assume that we were going to Trevor's place, but didn't want to voice that aloud. I was secretly pleased to find out that I was correct, as Trevor murmured the announcement, "And welcome to my humble abode."

He parked under a carport with the number 13 on it, and proceeded to lead me to a two-story condominium. It was quite impressive, actually. It was spacious, but not overwhelmingly so, and even the Soccer Snob had made the place seem homey.

"This is nice," I admitted somewhat grudgingly, removing my shoes on the tile floor near the front door before stepping onto the carpet. Trevor was smirking, but didn't mention my compliment.

"You know, you don't have to take off your shoes; you're making me feel like a bad guest, even though it's my place!" he pointed out, glancing down to his feet, which were planted firmly on the carpeted floor, still in their tennis-shoes.

I grinned and said, "Well, one of us has to express manners, and since I'm the only one here who was actually raised with them... It just makes sense," I teased, sauntering past Trevor in an attempt to explore his condo. I was contradicting my previous declaration about manners, but I didn't care, and Trevor would only joke about it, if he mentioned it at all.

His kitchen was rather tiny, but I didn't imagine that he would need one hat was any bigger – unless he was cooking for more than himself. But his actions didn't lead me to believe that he was. He had a decent-sized living room, too, with a fireplace tucked off in a corner. "I bet that's very nice in the winter," I mumbled, turning to the hallway that had the stairs. I saw a small guest bathroom in the hall, but moved past it to the stairs, placing my foot on the bottommost step.

Immediately I was yanked backward. "Where do you think you're going?" Trevor asked me, his voice low as he looked down at me with arched eyebrows. After a moment, his signature grin was upon his mouth once more and he shook his head. "I can't believe you, Raven! Naughty, naughty!"

I was confused for a moment, but quickly understood, and felt my face heat up as I attempted to remove my arm from his grip. "I think you're mistaken," I told him shakily, laughing weakly as I looked away from his face, embarrassed.

"Awh, don't be that way, Monster Girl. You were so eager to get me out of my clothes, and that was years ago. Imagine how much more fun it will be now," he said, sliding his grip down my arm to hold my wrist. Suddenly, my hand was under his shirt, and I gasped, my eyes wide. "I'm a bit more toned now, after all."

I finally managed to release myself, and stumbled backward, falling yet again today. My face was too warm, and I couldn't look at Trevor. When he knelt down in front of me, I was in no shape to fight him off as he gently lifted my chin to make me look at him. "That was payback for this morning, Raven," he whispered, his green eyes scorching as our gazes met.

"That was just plain mean." My statement was very quiet, and I closed my eyes, exerting minimal energy to lower my chin once more. It was just enough so that he would know I was trying, but it would of course be up to him to let go of my face.

Instead, as I should have known, I was kissed. It was nice. Very soft and sweet, causing me to sigh into it as Trevor let go of my face to wind his fingers through the hair at the base of my neck. I lifted my hand tentatively and gently set it along the side of his neck as well.

When we broke apart, I wasn't the only one blushing, and I laughed softly. "I'm sorry I moved without notice and stayed away for so long. Really, I am. I didn't think it would affect you so much, Trevor. But... I'm finding myself missing this place, this stupid Dullsville, and I can move back."

"Are you crazy?" Trevor asked suddenly, looking at me as though I were. I was confused; didn't he want me back in town? "Don't you have work?" Oh. Stupid me.

"I work from home anyways, stupid!" I told him with a loud laugh. "And, I was only ever a bit of a drive away..." I told him where I'd been the whole time and he positively glared at me. I cowered away from him just barely and he sighed.

"So, if you move back... You can still work... And, if you absolutely have to go back there for work, you can drive, right?" he asked slowly while avoiding my gaze.

I nodded, adding a quiet, "Yes," to the action.

"Move in with me, then," he blurted, still not looking at me. I couldn't help but gawk, and when he finally brought himself to look at me I nodded once. His eyes narrowed. "You don't really need to mock me, Raven," Trevor grumbled, misinterpreting to believe that I was hesitant.

"Oh, you idiot! Stupid jock, I would like it if I could move in with you!"

Not much of an ending, but I didn't want to leave it entirely, without conclusion! I'm not that evil, sorry if any of you thought I was. Honestly, life's just been way hectic, I'm so sorry. I will definitely get back into this, though! So, please send me an email with requests! It doesn't have to be VK, if you name some things, I can tell you if I know of any of them at all, and then will be able to write a story in accordance!

the _ amai _ ai yahoo . com [minus the spaces!]

I enjoy writing, and I miss it so much! Also, I'm in the process of writing an original book series, so I'd love to continue this to keep me exercised!

Love,

Mari


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